I am looking for my first welder. I need some input what to get and the differences (wire,stick, gas). Which welder do you use gas with and hold the wire in your hand? Anyone know of any good buys? I have used a stick and wire feed welder before but I am by no means good at it.

What are you going to be welding?

For a first welder I would get a MIG welder. Miller or Lincoln 120v models.

Stay away from the cheap off brand welders.

Tig (tungsten inert gas) are, IMO, the best and most versatile, but they're also the most expensive and difficult to use.

For the hobbiest, the wire feed welders with gas sheilding (Mig) are the cheapest and easiest to learn to use effectively, especially if you're planning on welding sheetmetal.

There are a variety of brands and configurations out there, but you cant go wrong with a Lincoln or Miller brand, in the highest voltage you can afford. The 110v units will do great on sheetmetal, but are limited on thicker materials. 220v units are the cat's meow for most things auto related.

I willl be doing some sheet metal (auto stuff) welding and some welding of angle iron and tube. I rather spend the money once and get what I need. Not a fan of Craftsman but i assume this is made by lincoln or miller. Can use with gas or no gas (is that normal)
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?...pid=00920569000

Thanks for the info

I bought a mig last week. I wish I would have bought a tig instead. More money but gonna be better results. Mig is good for steel but as I found out doesn't work very good with aluminum.

MMmmmmmmmiller 135 MIG with gas...

Lincoln uses plastic parts, Miller uses metal.

Sears is an OEM buy from somebody who isn't a big name. Has a Sears name painted on the front.

After a stick welder, you will want to know why you didn't buy this MIG thingy sooner............

Want aluminum welding, bring money$$$$. Problem with aluminum is it is such a good heat conductor, it needs a lot of energy dumped into it to counteract the heat draw. Gee, that must be one of the reasons why heads are heated in an oven before welding.

MIG will do aluminum but you need a big ass power supply and a spool gun. Mebbe an oven too.

Ken

What gas are you using?? if you are using a argon/co2 mix, then it wont do good with aluminum...I think that if you use pure argon, then it will work better. someone please correct me if I am wrong. I just remember seeing this somewhere.

From my experience (and its not extensive) technique can be as important as which welder. If you know what you are doing you can get a lot of use out of the 120v welders. I have welded from 20 ga sheet metal to 1/4" tubes with a Lincoln Weldpak 100 with the mig option(home depot) Some welds are prettier than others but as I put more time into it I have managed to get pretty nice welds in most things I've tried. Sheet metal was definitely more difficult due to the limited settings on the welder.

Having said that while the welder claims to also be able to do both aluminum and stainless if you use argon gas instead of CO2 I have never made a pretty weld in either. The closest I came was 3003 alum. Trying 6063 alum was one of the most frustrating experiences I have ever had.


All things considered I would recommend the 120v welders for most steel but as with most things more money buys you more versitility.

Anyway hope this helps,

Oh yeah, I forgot....

Get a MIG with infinite power and infinite wire speed.

Buy a 4 power welder and try some of that thin 914 metal and you just might burn through a lot and gnash your teeth. My Miller with small tank was $600 at a welding store. They have good deals sometimes.

Ken

IMHO you should simply skip buying your 1st welder and go directly to buying your 2nd welder.

When you buy your 1st welder, you're going to "cheap out" and buy something that really isn't going to meet your needs, so you're going to end up buying your 2nd welder with more capacity then you think you "need" now sooneer than you think anyway. When you do buy your 2nd welder because your 1st welder sucks, you're going to continually kick yourself in the butt for ever wasting your money on the 1st welder, as it just sits and collects dust while you use your 2nd welder for every project because your 2nd welder is going to be the welder you should've bought in the 1st place!

Do not pass GO, do not collect $200... Do not buy a 110v welder. Just head directly to a 220/230v welder. Something like a 180 Hobart. Yes you could buy a Lincoln or a Miller, but remember you're paying for the name, the pretty red or blue paint, & the user interface. Under the cover a Hobart's identical. After a brief introduction to welding you'll find you can twist a knob just as easy as pushing a button on the hi-$ units & be much wealthier for the twist.

Didn't Woody Allen say "I don't want to get married, only divorced" ?

Anyways, what is your opinion about buying used ? Welders seem to be a perennial feature in the Thrifty Nickel/Pennysaver/etc. Anything in particular to look out for in a used welder ?

Jeff, if you'd like to borrow one, you're more than welcome to use mine.

That being said, the wear items like rollers and liners are easily and cheaply replaced, and the transformer that actually does the work usually either works, or doesn't. Other than that, it's just a matter of what condition it's in, AFAIK.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy used.

Millermatic 135 MIG.
Continous feed control.
Continous power control.
135Amp
Works on 110V.
Good for most automotive repairs.

I bought mine for the 914 and it works good. Love the continous power and feed controls.

Spoke

Home Depot "HD 3200"

Will weld up to 5/16".

Comes with the regulator for gas MIG welding.

Nice 110 volt unit.

KT

I would go shopping for a 180-200amp output Miller MIG welder.

Awesome ! No plans at the moment, but I'm sure the day will come....

It has been said before. I will repeat it. In my way.

If ya have money to spend on really good tools.

Buy the 220 VAC Hobart or Miller or Snap-On.

Buy it new with bottle, helmet and spools of wire for differant applications.

One stop... DONE.

CONVERESELY:

If ya only have limited dollars.

Search the tool section of craigs list. Or recycler, etc.

See what they have for sale.

Google the part number and do your homework.

Bigger is better most of the time.

Why you may ask????????

BIGGER allows you to think, design and implement things that small welders can't really do well.

You are more open to fabricating opportunitys that a small welder can't handle. it opens your mind to the possibilty's.

So for me... it's dollars VS big end results.

NOTE: If you only allow yourself to weld sheet metal and small gauge steel for small projects. A 110 welder will do the trick.

Especially if you use the trick wire made just for sheet metal.

It has a metal powdered center and solid around the center. Not flux core. Powdered core. It is the shit for sheet metal like fenders and such..

Makes bitchin puddles and flows kinda like a brazing rod. Very sweet for for teeners.

Look it up...

Twystd1

Dude, yet another reason I will be coming over this summer. Why by my own?

Maybe you should borrow one and see if it fits your needs. I use a TIG and it's a Argon/Helium mix. I also want to get a small portable for sheet metal. Unless you weld for a living I cant see why you should only get a big name brand. If you even think you'll have to weld a frame part, you'll need the 220v.

One of the books on painting I'm reading mentions welding equipment repair shops as a good place to find cheap welders. Someone drops off a nice welder to get fixed, they fix it, and it never gets picked up. They sell them sometimes just to recoop the repair bill. I have no first hand experiance, but it makes sence.